India’s Supreme Court tells Indians abroad to stay put

New Delhi (IANS): The Supreme Court on Monday directed that Indians stranded in other parts of the world should “stay where they are” as currently it is not possible to fly them back home.

“Ask them to stay where they are, people in other countries cannot be brought back right now,” said a bench of the apex court headed by Chief Justice S.A. Bobde.

The observations came while the court was hearing a batch of petitions pertaining to evacuation of Indian citizens stranded abroad amid the outbreak of the coronavirus. Seven petitions were heard one by one, each seeking directions from the court on their immediate evacuation from UK, US, Iran and Gulf countries.

While the hearing on a petition related to the evacuation of people from the United States was being heard, the Solicitor General of India told the court people across the globe are getting visa extensions amid the worldwide spread of the pandemic.

However, the court reiterated the submissions of SG Tushar Mehta stating that information specific to the United States has not been mentioned in the affidavit filed by the Centre and directed him to submit an affidavit specific to US within one week.

The court has now posted the batch of petitions to be heard after four weeks. However, the Centre has been directed to file its reply in the petitions relating to evacuation of students from the United States and Gulf nations by April 20.